City to step away from joint facility with Floyd County

By Chris Baldus, NorthCedarReports.com
CHARLES CITY — Floyd County will likely be on its own when it comes to updating its 70-plus year old jail. The Charles City Council will vote Monday on a recommendation to quit a partnership considering construction of a joint law enforcement center.

“The city and county have been investigating an opportunity to share some needed additional space for the Police Department, Dispatch and the rest of city hall administrative and code enforcement functions along with their needs for a jail and other space,” City Administrator Steve Diers said in a memo for Monday’s meeting.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m at City

The city partnered with the county on study conducted by Prochaska and Associates to look at space needs of both and determine rough costs and benefits of being together in one facility.

Cost estimates on adding space, rehabilitating and remodeling the existing City Hall one Police Department building were compared to the anticipated cost and potential benefits of a joint facility.

“The potential benefit of both entities co-locating included the sharing of meeting room space, mechanical equipment, office equipment, rest rooms and similar items.”

The city, study committee on Councilman DeLaine Freesemen, Councilman Kieth Starr, Public Safety Director Hugh Anderson and Diers recommend staying at the current location and to not participate further with the county on a shared location concept.
“The city delegation sees the needs of the county and the need for new jail facilities and will assist however we can to help make that become a reality,” Diers wrote. “This process was good to do and was necessary to properly make a decision on whether co-location would be viable.”